The U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Workers’ Rights in Janus v. AFSCME

Today, The James Madison Institute congratulates and thanks the Supreme Court of the United States in its ruling in Janus v. AFSCME. This ruling, that public employees will no longer be forced to pay a government union as a condition of their employment, is a victory for free speech and free association.

“Today the highest court in the land made a bold pronouncement that restored two fundamental rights for public sector workers across the United States. With its ruling in Janus v. AFSCME, the Court declared that public workers’ First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association mean that these workers cannot be forced to pay a union to keep their jobs. No longer will public employees be compelled to fund government unions for politicized activities they disagree with. Today marks the day that five million workers in 22 non-right to work states can count themselves as equal under the law with those of us here in Florida and other states that have enjoyed these freedoms for some time,” said Dr. Robert McClure,President and CEO of The James Madison Institute.

Worker freedom is a national effort that The James Madison Institute has supported for many years. As a right-to-work state, public employees in Florida enjoy freedoms that until today have been impossible for more than five million workers in 22 states. It’s why JMI submitted a Friend of the Court Brief on this landmark case, and why JMI has partnered with organizations across the country to raise awareness of this issue.

Earlier this year, JMI worked with a coalition of public policy organization from around the country to launch My Pay My Say, a national education and awareness campaign to support public employees affected by the court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME.

“JMI has been supporting the cause of worker freedom for years and congratulates Mark Janus on standing for what he believes in, for being a superb representative for five million employees across the country, and for the character he displayed throughout the process that led to today’s historic decision. We stand with the millions of public workers across the country who can now share the same freedoms that workers in Florida and other right-to-work states have enjoyed,” said Sal Nuzzo, Vice President of Policy at The James Madison Institute.

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As Florida’s premier free-market think tank, The James Madison Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational organization. The Institute conducts research on such issues as health care, taxes, and regulatory environments.